Sleepy Hollow

We are one step closer to reaching a final budget. The NC Senate voted 33-16 yesterday for a budget compromise. A final Senate vote will happen today. The House take it on tomorrow and Friday. The bill then goes to Gov. Pat McCrory for his John Hancock.

Yesterday, we discovered there were some positive language changes to the NC Film Grant which will give us $30M per fiscal year. READ FULL STORY NOW.

The NC Film Grant is a five year plan, expiring July 1, 2020. The grant will increase the minimum spend of $250,000 per episode for video or television series to $1M per episode.

The current cap has a max rebate of $5M, up to 25% on qualified expenses/purchases of productions for an entire television series. The max payout will be raised from $5M to $9M for a single television series.

Feature Films remain at $5M for minimum spends and maximum rebates. Commercials will remain the same as well at $250,000.

Season 2 of Sleepy Hollow which was filmed right here in Wilmywood is out on DVD. Go ahead and grab yourself a copy and see just about everyone you know in the BG 🙂

The Reel Wilmington Film Series at Bailey Park kicks off this Saturday and features family friendly movies shot in the Carolinas. First up is Iron Man 3 (edited). Bring a chair and your friends and family and head to Bailey Theatre Park at 12 North Front Street. Showtime is at 7:30pm

There is a Go Fund Me for Deb Cottrill – 2nd AC that was injured on the set of Sleepy Hollow which is filming in Conyers, GA for season 3. A little more details to the extent of her injuries were posted on the page explaining that her leg is broken in 3 places. She is expected to have up to a year or more of recovery time. If you got a few bucks to spare, send them her way! If you can’t donate at this time, please share the page! DONATE NOW

Banshee‘s upcoming fourth season will be the show’s last. The first 3 seasons were shot in the Charlotte area, then moved to Philly due to the lack of Film Incentives here in NC. Banshee‘s final season is slated for early 2016. Guess we will be seeing some of our crew members return soon. READ STORY NOW

Reminder the 2015 Literacy Luncheon is tomorrow with special guest Dean Norris aka Big Jim Rennie from Under the Dome. They are celebrating CFLC’s 30-year mission to eradicate illiteracy! Dean will be hanging out with us after for a meet n greet. The luncheon will be held at the Pine Valley United Methodist Church, 3788 Shipyard Blvd, 11:30am-1pm. GET TICKETS NOW

According to multiple sources, another major incident occurred on the set of Sleepy Hollow, the television series that filmed in Wilmington for the first two seasons. The Fox show moved to Conyers, GA for season 3 due to the lack of film incentives in North Carolina. First thing this morning while unloading trucks on location (just south of Conyers, GA), a 2nd AC was backing into the road pulling a camera cart and got hit by a generator being pulled by a stake bed.

One source said that the trailer pinned her foot and rolled up her leg, breaking both bones in her lower leg. EMTs responded immediately. The complete extent of the injury is unknown at this time. That sounds EXTREMELY painful! Wishing this lady some serious good vibes, good pain meds and a full recovery.

I was told that filming resumed after the accident, but they dropped the stunt that was up first thing this morning.

This is the second major incident that has occurred in the past 7 days while the show is trying to complete the first episode of the new season. Last week, a female security guard was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. READ STORY NOW

Please note, I cannot confirm the accuracy of any of these details, as I was not there, but multiple sources have reported the same details. So, just tellin’ ya what I’ve been told folks.

UPDATE: There is a Go Fund Me for Deb Cottrill – 2nd AC that was injured on the set of Sleepy Hollow which is filming in Conyers, GA for season 3. A little more details to the extent of her injuries were posted on the page explaining that her leg is broken in 3 places. She is expected to have up to a year or more of recovery time. If you got a few bucks to spare, send them her way! If you can’t donate at this time, please share the page! DONATE NOW

Sleepy Hollow is following Under the Dome‘s footsteps and moving to Thursday nights. The third season of Sleepy Hollow will air at 9 p.m. The Fox show which is no longer an NC Film production is getting a showrunner change for season 3 as well.

Last week, the announcement was made regarding Sleepy Hollow heading to Conyers, GA which brings the area about 300 local jobs. They will be injecting $4 million into the town. What really made me wanna pull my hair out was when CREDC’s film production liaison Gina Hartsell said this: “We stole them away from North Carolina.”

It made me so angry simply because it’s true. Argh! I am getting really tired of Georgia and South Carolina taking everything from us! From film to manufacturing. So now we wait as the NCGA takes their sweet time getting to the House and Senate bill that requested $66 million be added to the NC Film Grant. It could happen tomorrow or in June, there’s no time table yet. Everyday that goes by is another day we lose yet another production. I’ll keep you posted on that front.

Meanwhile last week, McCrory mentioned we had a $400 million surplus. Hey, I may have an idea what to do with some of it!

The Department of Revenue released their report for direct spending. Productions spent $241,372,169 in North Carolina on goods, supplies, wages and employee benefits in 2014, receiving $60,343,039 (25%) in rebates.

Just a quick clarification from the NC Film Office: the numbers released by the NCDOR reflect what productions SUBMITTED on their required forms–which they can file at any time the production is ready– and does not necessarily mean that is what was spent or jobs created that specific year. For example, the NCDOR report does not have the full season of “Secrets and Lies” and its “Sleepy Hollow” numbers are for a previous year (not 2014’s S2); thus the total number is not ALL of what was spent in 2014. There are also productions listed that filmed prior to 2014, like “Well Wishes” and “Los Jets.”

Now, that being said, taking the top spot was who we expected. Sleepy Hollow spent a hefty $43,648,743. The Fox production also took the top spot when it comes to hires. Sleepy Hollow employed 1593 folks (Season One).

Other productions of note include The Longest Ride which spent $23,345,745 and hired close to 600 people. Another big job giver was the family film Maxwhich hits theaters in July. They spent $18,630,757 and employed 1082 people.

Further breaking down the report, productions spent $136 million in New Hanover County and just over $95 million in Mecklenberg County.

In total, $241,372,169 was spent in North Carolina by film and TV productions last year with 8381 jobs created. Check out the links below to see what’s film has spent in North Carolina over the last 9 years.

Now it’s time for Rumors from the Lot! Many folks have been hanging on for some chance in hell that Sleepy Hollow will find a way to stay in Wilmington and not make the move to Atlanta. If you are one of the many, you are not gonna like what I have to tell you.

Rumor has it, starting next week, the 18-wheelers will be rolling on in. Starting with Stage 10 at EUE/Screen Gems, they are breaking down the sets as they prepare for season 3 in Atlanta.

The only bit of good news, bittersweet really, is that from what I heard they are hiring some of the original crew to do the tear down and set up in Atlanta. I also heard that they might be asking some of the crew members to move to Atlanta and continue working on the show. Especially those in set dec.

So, while folks will be working, it will be short lived for some, and a move away from their families for others should they choose to do so.

Can I confirm this? Not yet. Are my sources strong. Yes. Guess we will know for sure next week.

Our Fox Show Sleepy Hollowwill have an 18 episode third season, however early reports confirmed the supernatural show will be filming this time around in Atlanta. The reason for the move is of course for better incentives. There is about a 5% chance they will stay. Odds are not in our favor however. Clifton Campbell has signed on as executive producer and showrunner. Earlier this month, Mark Goffman moved to CBS Television Studios for a two-year overall deal to supervise and develop new projects for the studio. Fox stated that the third season will explore the evolving partnership between Crane and Mills after the pair scored a decisive victory over evil in the Season 2 finale.

Under the Dome will remain in Wilmywood for the rest of the week at the Gypsum Plant. On that note, this business hasn’t made dry wall in quite a while, so they have been renting warehouse space to CBS. They have been holding the sets since last season. That’s money spent locally for the location that was otherwise out of business. Just sayin’.

So far they have filmed in New Hanover and Pender Counties, and it looks like they will be giving Brunswick County some love next week. They head to Southport on Tuesday at their very familiar location on East Bay Street – ya know, “Big Jim” Rennie’s house.

Bolden has surpassed it’s 100 day of filming this week! And they still have at least one more month to go. Some say it could possibly go all the way until the first week of June! They of course continue filming in Rocky Point today.